Donald Trump's Historic Hush Money Trial Enters Second Day
Ex-President Donald Trump's hush money trial continues in a New York courtroom, marking the second day of jury selection. The first seven jurors have been selected amidst scrutiny of their social media posts, political views, and personal lives. Eleven more jurors are required before opening statements can begin next week.
Trump Returns to Court Amid Selection Process
Trump returned to the courtroom on Tuesday, expressing frustration with the gag order that restricts his public commentary on jurors and potential witnesses. On the second day, seven jurors were seated after a lengthy questionnaire phase and hours of questioning. The selected jurors include an IT worker, an English teacher, an oncology nurse, a sales professional, a software engineer, and two lawyers.
Challenges in Selecting an Impartial Jury
Due to his polarizing presence, the selection of an impartial jury for Trump's trial proves challenging. Several potential jurors were disregarded after stating their inability to be impartial. The jury selection process is set to continue on Thursday. Trump protested again about the case to reporters, accusing Judge Juan Merchan of "rushing" the trial.
The Charges Against Trump
The former president has pled not guilty to 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records. These charges stem from an alleged effort to prevent damaging stories about his sex life from surfacing during his 2016 campaign. The prosecution has described the $130,000 payments made to his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, as part of this scheme. Trump has admitted to reimbursing Cohen but denies it had anything to do with his campaign.
If convicted, Trump faces up to four years in prison, but serving time behind bars is not guaranteed. The trial, expected to last six weeks or more, is the first of Trump's four criminal cases to reach trial. It has brought Trump's legal issues to the forefront of his closely contested race against President Joe Biden.
He awaits the start of proceedings on the second day of jury selection at Manhattan Criminal Court.
